


The Black Trillium

by ThatDamnKennedyKid



Category: Naruto
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Timelines, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Uchiha Itachi, No Uchiha Massacre, Uchiha Itachi-centric, What-If
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2019-01-10
Packaged: 2019-06-09 05:42:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15260655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatDamnKennedyKid/pseuds/ThatDamnKennedyKid
Summary: All of Konoha's Hokages have been special individuals, each with a moniker that followed them. Minato knows what this means, the true power the Hokage holds over the world. With Danzou in the wings circling for weakness, he will have to exercise this power as carefully as possible. In the event of his death, he named Konoha's Black Trillium as his successor, a man feared now even more than himself:Uchiha Itachi.





	1. Avarice

**Author's Note:**

> So, in this timeline, Sasuke was a happy accident later in his parents' lives. When Sasuke is born, Itachi is twenty-two.

"What are you writing?"

"My testament."

"So early?" Kushina laid her hands on his shoulders. She still wasn't showing, but the doctors had confirmed it for them again this morning. Two months along. 

"I want to be ready. These times are getting tremulous."

She sighed. "Is Danzou provoking Fugaku again?"

"You mean inciting violence? Of course." He kissed her knuckles. "He's pushing the other clans for a renovation of the city."

"Bastard." She hissed. 

"I have to be ready for anything. The Third isn't prepared to take over for me in the event of catastrophe."

"I understand. But still . . . "

"How about we rest, Kushina? It's getting late." She'd also been more exhausted as of late, and he wouldn't admit he was worried for her in fear of her wrath. 

"Okay." She ran her fingers through his hair one last time before shuffling off to get ready for bed. 

He finished the letter, leaving it rolled on the table for tomorrow, to be delivered to the Daimo. He would send Kakashi, just to be sure.

| | |

"Danzou has been lurking the Hyuuga compound." 

He sighed heavily. "I know. It's unfortunate, but I can't stop him. He's got a right to speak to whomever he wishes, even if his words are poisonous."

"I understand, I simply wished to relay the information."

"Do you track him?"

"No, but Shisui is no stranger to his movements."

"Ah." A pause. "How is your mother? I've not had the chance to see her myself and give her my well-wishes."

"I've given both your excuses and congratulations." The raven smiled sweetly, too young for this kind of pressure. "She's doing surprisingly well. The doctors definitely don't want her carrying again."

"I bet."

"She had me too young, and Sasuke too late." He laughed, low and smooth. "I'm getting a little brother when I should be dating."

"I guess Sasuke will just have to be your date to the ANBU formal."

"He probably will be, nevermind. He's clingy already. He only sleeps if Mother or I put him down to rest. He even cries when Shisui holds him."

"Oh wow. Really? Shisui?"

"Yeah. It's impressive."

"I guess Sasuke just loves his nii-san." He considered that for a moment. "I should have offered to let you bring him. Your poor mother."

"They'll be okay for a couple of days. I still have missions to attend, regardless."

"You mean I shouldn't grant you parental leave?"

He chuckled, brushing his bangs from his eyes. "Not yet, at least."

The massive door opened and a mousy servant stepped out. "The Daimo is ready for you now, Hokage-sama."

They both rose and entered the ornate room. The Daimo's advisors sat on one side of the table, Danzou and the advisors on the other. A space was left open for Minato to sit, at the far end. It was a slap from his own council, but he would be heard regardless of his placement. He knew full well the Daimo preferred him to Danzou - their frequent correspondence said so.

"Lord Hokage, I understand there is a reason you called his meeting?" The Daimo began.

"Indeed. While I am not retiring or planning to anytime soon, I cannot help but be cautious the peace will not last."

"Is there troubling information?"

"No, but my intuition has never led me astray."

"I see. Continue."

"I have come for confirmation of my successor, should any unfortunate incident remove me before my appointed time."

The Daimo sat forward. "Oh?"

"May I present Uchiha Itachi, the burning Black Trillium of Konohagakure."

Itachi stepped into the light, his grey clothing and armour soft in the light, his eyes a darker black than his hair. 

"An Uchiha?" The Daimo's council began murmuring amongst themselves. 

"Precisely. A terrible idea. The Second would agree, we're he here."

"Lord Tobirama was the one who placed the safety of the village in the Uchiha's hands." Itachi reminded gently, the bass of his voice the most soothing tenor. "He placed the Uchiha in the centre of the village to be the most prominent force, because he believed that we alone were enough to push back a surprise attack on the village."

"He has a point."

Danzou scowled. "I propose an alternative."

"Who?" The Daimo questioned. 

"Orochimaru. He is a Sannin capable of taking the reigns of the village and steering it away from disaster. This untrained youth has little perspective on life or hard decisions."

The Daimo looked to Minato, but Itachi spoke. 

"I made ANBU at age eleven. I made ANBU captain at thirteen and I serve solely at the discretion of the Hokage. The next closest to that is Hatake Kakashi, ANBU at thirteen and Captain by seventeen. I have skills most of my clan have never been able to achieve. I am responsible for the recovery of the Three-Tails and Nohara Rin. I am known to your allies and feared by your enemies. I may only be twenty-two, but this passage of power is not set for many years. I have accomplished all of this as a child, a teenager. At the beginning of my adulthood, I am notable enough the Hokage has considered me the best successor. Does that reputation not speak for itself?"

The Daimo looked to Minato. 

"I agree with him." The blonde said. "Itachi, in a clan of remarkable individual, stands out as individually remarkable. I wish from him to be confirmed as my successor."

"And I think you should consider Orochimaru." Danzou pushed. 

The Daimo lowered his fan and the room fell silent. 

| | |

"Where have you been?" Fugaku asked when he sat down at the dinner table. "The Hokage certainly need to see you a lot."

"We had business before the Daimo."

"Minato brought you as an escort?" Mikoto asked.

"No." He took a deep breath, raising his head to meet their gazes. "He had me confirmed as his successor."

Fugaku dropped his chopsticks. 

Mikoto froze where she was lowering the pot of rice. 

Sasuke gurgled obliviously on his lap, playing with the length of his brother's hair. 

"I can't have heard you right. Say again?" Fugaku said. 

"Minato asked the Daimo to confirm me as his successor. The Daimo gave his blessing."

Sasuke laughed when he lifted and dropped Itachi's hand. 

"You should have told me earlier." Mikoto said, breathless. "I would have taken us out to a tea house to celebrate."

He smiled softly. "This is more than enough, Kaa-san."

"Namikaze made you his successor." Fugaku breathed out. "I can't believe it."

"He was waiting until I was an acceptable age." Itachi explained. "He thinks it's time the Uchiha are allowed a more proactive role in their government. What did he call me? A Philosopher King, I think."

"You always were a deep, old soul." Mikoto hugged and kissed him. "Congratulations, my darling boy."

Fugaku smiled brightly. "I'm so proud of you."

| | | 

"Kushina gives birth in the next week." Minato said, smiling excitedly. "I'll need you to run the office while I tend to her when the time comes, okay?"

"I understand, Minato-sama."

| | |

"Minato! Kushina!" He panted, jumping at his fastest from tree to tree. "Minato! Minato, where are you?!"

The Kyuubi was gone, the stillness unnerving and the silence deafening. Minato had moved them, that much he knew, but before he could get a lock on where exactly they were, the beast vanished in a hail of golden chains. 

"Minato! Kushina!"

He landed in a clearing, a bright shock of red hair catching his eye. He raced over, his heart's pace picking up at the sight before him. 

Collapsed on his side with a hole inside his torso was the Hokage, a quick flick of his eyes registering no breathing and no heartbeat. 

"No . . . " He breathed. This is what he had feared.

"Itachi . . ."

He spun to face Kushina, who was struggling to look up at her. He fell to his knees at her side, holding her hand. She also had a gaping wound, far beyond his skill to heal. 

"Itachi-"

"I'll send for help, Kushina. Hold on."

She weakly squeezed his fingers. "Itachi, take care of him. Please."

Tears spiller over his cheeks. "I will, Kushina. I promise. I'll raise him as my own brother."

"His name . . . " She wheezed hard, nearing her final moments, "his name is Naruto."

A fresh wave overtook him and he raised her knuckles to his lips, holding her hand in his trembling grip. "I promise. I will protect him."

"Mikoto should be proud to have you as a son." She smiled, fading fast. "Please . . ."

He stood, the corpses of two of his precious people at his feet. He turned to the white blankets, bundled away from the battle. He ran over to them, beholding Naruto for the first time. 

"I will protect you, brother." He said, holding the babe tight to his chest. The little one calmed down, curling in on him. He glanced back at the corpses, holding Naruto tighter. "Let's get you to safety."

| | |

The entire village was gathered at the Hokage's Mansion despite the devastation. Atop the building stood the Elders and the Third, reciting the vow of the Hokage. 

He was wearing a white battle-cloak, one that reached his shins and fell closed down the front. The hat was atop his head, the words  _The Fifth Hokage_ in red down his back. Along the bottom were black flames, licking the bottom of the kanji. 

He turned and pulled off the bat, his grey-black hair completely loose for once and blowing majestically in the winds. 

Fugaku held Sasuke, staring up in awe. Mikoto held Naruto, scared more than ever. Whoever attacked had managed to kill both Kushina and Minato. Her son as strong, she knew, but with two new infant siblings? She hoped he would be able to stand as tall as he was capable of. 

Twenty-two, and Itachi stood as Hokage, one of Minato's kunai resting in his kunai pouch. 

"I will not fail you." He said, and Mikoto didn't know if he was speaking to the living or the dead. 

| | | 

"The Uchiha are not moving beyond the bounds of the village." Itachi said, firmness in his voice. The other clan heads looked to Danzou, who was fuming. 

"You cannot allow you ties to your clan-"

"So far, it does not seem that any of the toner clans' requests require the Uchiha to move." He continued, his black eyes surveying the clan heads. Shikaku was hiding his grin behind his hand, while Hiashi just looked on, a little stunned by the weight of authority with which he spoke. "Is it amenable then, that the Uchiha rebuild on their former compound?"

"It is." Inoichi nodded, also impressed. 

"The Nara will be granted access to their forest by a reworking of this roadway, and a shift of the Hyuuga borders to the west. The Akamichi and Yamanaka will remain where they are. The Aburame will be given easy access to the river by switching plots with the Inuzuka. All the smaller clans will be rearranged according to numbers and the civilian populace also thusly relocated. The central road will be commercial and leave an uninterrupted path to the Mansion. Any objections?"

Aside from Danzou's rage, the others said nothing. 

"Good. I will have these plans drawn up properly and deliver them to the construction crews. Unless there are any further grievances, I believe we can adjourn this meeting."

"I'll admit," Hiashi spoke up, "when Minato announced you as his successor, I was skeptical. I misjudged you, and I look forward to watching you and aiding your leadership, Hokage-sama."

He blinked in surprise. "I appreciate your confidence in me, Hyuuga-san. Your clan is one of the most powerful this village has to offer. I look forward to working with you as well."

Hiashi nodded in acknowledgement and the leaders stood, filing out. Danzou stormed out first, ready to spit nails. 

Shikaku was the last one left when the rest of the room cleared, taking a seat closer to the new Hokage. 

"What can I do for you, Nara-san?"

He smirked. "I think we can drop the formalities for now."

Itachi sighed in relief, smiling slightly. "Thanks."

"How are you holding up?"

"I'm grateful Minato had me as his Second since I was announced, or I would be in a lot more trouble than I am." He sighed, looking down at his hands. "It is hard when I hold Naruto. Minato and Kushina were very dear to me."

Shikaku nodded sagely. "Me too. If you need to drop him off somewhere discreet, my wife and I are more than willing to help. Shikamaru needs some socialization anyway, being an only child."

"I might take you up on that. Naruto is a very active baby." He met the Nara's eyes. "I am considering leaving him Namikaze."

"It will paint a target on his back, but he's already living in the Uchiha compound in the centre of the village. I don't see why not." 

"I am releasing the knowledge that he is Minato's son as well. Many have rightly guessed the Kyuubi is inside him, so I do not want him treated poorly."

Shikaku chuckled. "As if the villagers would dare trespass against you. After the display you put on?"

He smiled softly. "I suppose so, huh?"

"Suppose isn't the right word for it, Itachi." Shikaku stood, clapping him on the shoulder. "Minato made the right choice. I'll do whatever you need me to."

"Thank you."

"See ya around, kid." 

| | | 

Shisui found Itachi in the Uchiha gardens, laying in a pool of sunlight with Sasuke on one side and Naruto on the other. 

"Oh, Itachi." He shook his head at his cousin. Tired already, from politics and chasing babies. 

He laid down on Naruto's side and fell asleep with them. 


	2. Apostle

"Do you plan on bringing that brat everywhere?"

Itachi didn't look up from his papers, continuing to write as Naruto played with his hair. "Insofar as I deem it necessary."

Danzou bristled. "Can you show no respect for his office?"

He flipped the page, glancing over at a scroll. "Here I was, thinking I was doing the Fourth a disservice by not keeping Naruto around more. I suppose the best way to honour such a brilliant fallen nin is to outcast and ostracize his family to poverty and disregard."

"You didn't need to adopt him yourself, is my point."

He signed the decree - a requisition from ANBU for armour plating commissions. "Of course I didn't."

"Pass him off to the orphanage, where he will be cared for properly."

"I thought you just said I was doing my predecessor too much of an honour? Don't I have to balance the scales by also doing something less right? He'll just have to stay with me."

Naruto giggled, clapping.

Danzou's scowl sharpened. "This isn't over. It's bad enough you've got the building crawling with Uchiha."

"As opposed to all the termites the Uchiha have evicted."

He didn't look up when Danzou slammed the door. 

"That was a little unnecessary." He sat up, stiff from the position. He would be damned before Danzou got to see weakness from him, however. "Kakashi, hold him while I stretch, please."

He appeared out of the woodwork, taking the white sling and beginning to coo at Naruto, who giggled excitedly. 

"Kah! Kah! Kah!" He chanted, making crabby hands for the ANBU nailed gloves Kakashi was wearing. 

"Nah! Nah! Nah!" Kakashi chanted back just to see Naruto burst into peels of laughter. 

"Ta?"

"Nah!"

"Ka!"

Itachi smiled softly to himself from where he was upside-down, his hair brushing the ground. 

"What do you plan to do about Danzou?" Kakashi asked, tapping Naruto's nose just to hear him giggle. 

"I have Tenzou and Genma assigned to tracking Orochimaru's movements. I think he's looking to plan a coup, unseat me somehow." He twisted, stretching out his muscles. "Shisui has spies in his Foundation, but he's wisely keeping Uchiha out of the command structure. He tells his subordinates very little aside from mission parameters."

"You sound like there's more." 

He sighed. "Some of the recruits are dangerously unstable, sociopathic. I have a bad feeling about where he gets them from."

"Rogue nin?"

"Orphans."

Kakashi stilled. 

"Yeah." He dropped back onto his feet, fixing his hair. "Children of ninja from small, recovering villages have been reported missing. The remaining nin declare them dead, along with their parents and the countless bodies from the war, so no one goes looking. I have to find their encampment, where he trains them."

"Do you have an idea?"

"I believe they are isolated, but their supplies have to come from somewhere." He took Naruto back, kissing the babe's forehead. "I just don't know where."

* * *

"If that is his line, it's a dangerous hand to gamble." Shikaku ruminated as Naruto pressed a sloppy kiss to Shikamaru's cheek. Shikamaru cooed happily, patting the other baby's head approvingly. 

"I believe so too." He sighed. "I need help finding them out."

"Use the Hyuuga." Shikaku suggested. "You have them at your disposal - work them."

"Hiashi likes to know the specs of his family's deployment." He shook his head. "I don't need any leaks. Plus, Danzou has been looking to secure the Byakugan for some time."

"I thought he might be." Shikaku glanced out the window. "Feel up for a game of shogi?"

* * *

It took her a moment to realize that Sasuke was gone. She left the pans for a moment to check the living room. 

Itachi was there, Naruto and Sasuke sitting in his lap babbling at each other and reports in his hand. 

"Itachi." She sighed, going over to take Sasuke. "You're overworking yourself."

He tossed her a smile. "They're no trouble, Mother."

"You shouldn't be trying to raise your brother as well as do this job. I am more than capable-"

"I know you are." He cut in, resting his hand on hers. "But I am as well. I decided to take Naruto as my own, and Sasuke's my baby brother."

"As your family, it's our responsibility to take care of you too."

"It's not about responsibility." He put down to report to keep Naruto from falling over. "I want to care for them. I want to love them, and be there for them. If I don't take this time now, I will never find it in the future. I have to make time, to be the elder brother, or risk losing them entirely."

She softened sympathetically. Itachi was a kind man, gentle and paternal. She wished he would have found this kind of time with a family of his own, without the unfortunate circumstances that seemed to hover around his life. 

"I love you, my son." She stroked through his hair and he leaned into the touch. 

"And I you, Mother."

* * *

On the year anniversary of their deaths and the birth of their son, he took Naruto in the dead of night to meadow where Minato and Kushina had died. 

"These are your parents, Naruto." He said, gesturing to their shared stone. The monument was not large or flashy, just a stone with their names surrounded by flowers and shaded by trees. 

In the moonlight, the baby reached out and placed his hand against the rock, cooing quietly at it. 

"Indeed." The October wind swept through the clearing. "I loved them too. And I am sorry I wasn't faster."

Naruto pat his cheek, tugging gently at his hair. He bent down to press their foreheads together, feeling his baby press a kiss to his nose. 

He chuckled, nuzzling close. "I won't fail them again. And one day, I will be able to say you make them proud."

Kakashi and Rin joined them nearing dawn, when Naruto was fast asleep. They leaned against the Hokage  and took in the stillness, all of them quiet as they watched the sunrise. 

"A new day awaits us." Itachi spoke as the chill of dawn gave way under the warmth of the sun, the dew burning off around them. "Let's not waste it on the past."

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Pfft. Why would I work on all the other stuff I'm supposed to be finishing? What kind of nonsense, honestly . . . 
> 
> Should I continue this?


End file.
